Tag Archives: Politics

Sep 30 2012

A Presidential Election, God’s choice – Our choice?


At the outset I think it is only fair that I make the following statements:

I am a political junkie! The next several days for me is akin to the Superbowl. Since I was a teen I have been entertained by a good debate, the subject matter not being the most important thing, but the contest of words. So, I look forward to the Presidential and Vice Presidential debates with great interest.

I am a very conservative Republican! My family roots go way back in the hills and hollers of Western North Carolina where for centuries everyone was a Democrat. (Except for one old great-uncle who was very likely a Republican just to be even more irritating than he naturally was.) Ronald Reagan singularly changed not only my family but the whole region. I need to thank Jimmy Carter too. Had he not been such a dud of a President, Reagan would not have looked nearly so good in contrast.

Above all else I am a Christ exalting Christian. I understand the difference between the Kingdom of God and the United States of America. And, I understand the difference in the loyalties expected. I don’t buy the increasingly popular idea that to be a good citizen of my country I necessarily must compromise my allegiance to Jesus Christ.

Now, regarding the elections in November. God’s choice or our choice?

My answer is both! In my view the most responsible citizens in every society should be those who claim to be followers of Jesus. The Roman Empire was not exactly a theocracy but instead was rather oppressive and cruel, but Jesus said, “Pay your taxes”. And, Paul said the deputy sheriff does not carry his service weapon just for adornment (Romans 13:4). The lesson is pretty clear. Respect the authority over you. Again, I can’t over stress the historical context in which Jesus and Paul commented on government.

In some way government officials, Democrat, Republican, and even Communist, serve the purposes of our God. (Romans 13:6) I’ll be first to admit that I forget this truth often and tend to be more submissive in heart to those in power with whom I agree.

We get to vote but the choice will be God’s for His purposes!

In the United States we have the privilege every four years of voting for the person of our choice to be the Chief Executive of our country for the next four years. I believe it is a duty for every U.S. Citizen to be an informed voter and to vote. Of course anyone has the absolute right to not vote, and the right as well to gripe loudly if the results are not agreeable.

Who do I vote for? In light of what I know about Christ and the Bible, the Constitution of the Untied States, world history and current events, I enter the voting booth and vote for the person who I believe will likely govern closest to biblical principles, best protect the security interests of the country, and who best understands the scope of government the founders of the country envisioned. It’s about that simple.

Four years ago I was disappointed with the outcome. (Sen McCain would have been only slightly better in my view..). However, behind all that happens in debates, polling, campaigning, lying, cheating, voting, and finally getting a candidate elected, God casts the final ballot!

The wicked King of Egypt was reminded by Daniel the prophet when he gave the meaning of the king’s dream,

“You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory” (Daniel 2:37 ESV).

And Daniel said earlier after praying for the wisdom to know the meaning of the king’s dream,

“Daniel answered and said:“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings” (Daniel 2:20-21a)

I can’t speak for you but it gives me great comfort to know that after other citizens and, and other Christians and I have done all we can do with God’s blessing, in the end, God’s plan will not be thwarted.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts “ (Isaiah 55:8,9)

So, go do your civic duty. Choose who you think will best govern our God blessed country. Or, if you choose not to vote, that’s your right. In the end the sovereign God of the Bible will have the final say. It is he who grants power and authority to those who rule over the rest of us and He knows best.

I have always been fascinated by this statement in the Bible.

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners”. (Romans 5:6)

It was not by chance that Jesus died exactly in history on the very day of God’s choosing. It was at “just at the right time…”. The Roman government did not invent crucifixion but they perfected it. It was that cruel death on a cross that God chose for his one and only Son. It was by the cruelest method God chose to crush him. It was God’s timing when the events of Acts 2 and following would happen. How convenient for people from all over the known world, from every language and people group it seems, to have converged on one city to hear the good news. And, how convenient for the Roman Empire to have built good roads and to have regular shipping routes for the gospel of Jesus to spread in the most efficient ways possible!

Oh yes! I’m passionate about this upcoming election. I’ve picked my man. But in early January whomever is given the oath of office and is inaugurated will be God’s choice for this time. It is not my job to figure God out, I can’t and you can’t. My task is to trust him, and I will, even in the choice of President of the United States.

 

Aug 29 2008

The Big O


Obama knocked it out of the park! I have been a political junkie since before Nixon and tonight was one of the best speeches I can remember. Few of Obama’s contemporaries can equal his oratorical skills. I know of no politician today who could come close to amassing some 75,000 eager listeners, with many standing for the whole speech, some moved to tears, perhaps all full of hope. Congratulations to Senator Obama for a historic moment for African Americans and a job well done.

The sad news is that for Democrat faithfuls who for eight years have longed to regain the White House, tonight’s speech, when sifted through the screen of rational thought and common sense, is sorely lacking. Yes, he promised to give specifics, but did he? He promised a great education for every child, the same level of health care as those in the congress for every American, to regain global respect for America, to cut taxes on most American families, etc., etc., but how? He didn’t say how and he will not because there is no answer to this sort of upside-down logic. Democrats have been saying the same things for decades, just not as well as Obama. It is not unlike the little boy standing in the open door of a barn loft with a bath towel around his shoulders summoning the courage to leap out expecting to fly. He is full of hope, expecting change, until he leaps into the air only to have the ground below jolt him to reality.

Obama and O’biden and the Democrats are ready to give a tax break to the worker while at the same time financially raping the employers of the workers. Here is a short lesson in economics. When the cost of doing business goes up there can only be one of two results. Goods and or services must be decreased in amount or quality, and or prices to the consumer must be increased. It makes no difference if the cost of doing business (overhead) is increased because of an increase in materials, labor, fringe benefits, or higher taxation, the end result is the same. A government policy that punishes success in business is folly. Higher corporate taxes means less spending for research and development, less funding for business expansion to more markets and manufacturing locations, less money for higher salaries, and less incentive to go into business in the first place.

The opposite view, and the logical one, is to allow business to flourish, encourage expansion, research and development, and the creation of millions of good jobs that will never exist unless the bottom line is in the black. For many years I worked for a family owned business in the DFW area. They started with one small auto dealership. Today they own about 16 and one of the most solid banks in Dallas. Had they been taxed the way Democrats envision they would never have gone past one tiny location with meager profits if any at all. Instead of employing about 25 people, today they employ perhaps well over one thousand. Just in our location there were 190 employees about 30 of which were under my supervision. They earned up to $85,000 each year. They bought houses, cars, boats, paid college tuition, bought insurance, groceries, and clothing, went on vacations, and paid lots of taxes to state and federal coffers. All of this is due to the free market, the American dream that expects business to earn profits and provide jobs. Democrats do not understand this concept.

Another reality that many of our liberal friends don’t seem to understand is this. Government does not have any money, doesn’t earn any money, and doesn’t create any jobs. Every dollar Obama or McCain promises to spend comes out of our collective pockets. It is taxpayers who foot the bill. It is easy for a candidate to promise a billion here, a billion and half there, it is quite another for men and women to sweat out the 40 plus hour weeks to earn the money and pay their taxes. Even an accounting student in a community college should be able to understand that it is not possible to give every one in America everything they want and balance the books without major tax hikes across the board. Obama clams he will go over the federal budget line by line and cut out the fat. Which programs will you cut Sen. Obama? What policies will you change to save the taxpayers money? The answers are not coming I promise you.

The promises offered in our founding documents are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The federal government is charged to defend our borders and leave us alone. There are no “rights” to health care, education, cars with great fuel economy, and HD TV.

It is one thing to give a rousing speech, it is quite another to deliver the goods. All of the smoke and mirrors will not make me and millions of others forget that Sen. Obama has little experience, questionable wisdom, and a faulty world view to lead the free world. Perhaps he will be the next president of the United States. If so he will be my president and I’ll hope for his success. I tend to think that in the end common sense will prevail. I can’t conceive that there are enough people in America who make critical decisions like the O.J. jurors, “Don’t confuse me with the facts!”

I am proud that we have matured so that a woman and a black man can rise to the loftiest places of our society. We still have a long way to go. My hope is that in another forty five years we will still be the proud republic called the United States of America. Sadly, the chances are not very good in my view.

For liberty,
Royce Ogle